Trigun

Review date: April 13,2008
by Imnotchinese aka Ray

Trigun is the second anime I’ve ever watched and has remained one of my favorites ever since. Set in a lawless desert planet, it revolves around the maverick gunslinger, “Vash the Stampede.” Vash also happens to have $60,000,000 on his head as the most feared outlaw on the planet reputed to leave death and destruction in his path. It turns out, however, that Vash is a goofy, donut-loving peacemaker. Oddly enough, Vash still is one of a kind with unrivaled skills wielding a gun. Trigun follows the travels of Vash and two insurance agents sent to track him down in order to evaluate claims resulting from “his” ways.

On his journey, Vash inevitably runs into episodic characters misjudging him for a bloodthirsty criminal, spawning misunderstandings and comedic gunfights. Every episode, Vash has to draw his custom-made six shooter, yet he kills no one and only minorly injures them with amazing precision. Vash himself always has to come up with creative and hilarious ways to avoid bullets and the intention behind mechanical instruments made for killing is subverted. Slapstick humor is one of the greatest strengths of Trigun and simply makes the series fun.

Vash’s supporting cast, while not as intertwined with the plot as Vash, also bolster the series with unique personalities. Nicholas D. Wolfwood is an especially strong character. A priest packing a Vash-like idiocy and a full array of hidden firepower makes for an entertaining character. There is also more to Wolfwood than there appears to be.

In the background of each episode’s story, the tragic story of Vash’s past is gradually unraveled and the viewer learns that there is more to Vash than he is letting on. Vash’s past also has a major influence on the underlying plot that develops mostly towards the end of the series. Trigun takes a darker turn in later episodes with themes of moral dilemmas that put Vash’s pacifism to the test where saving lives isn’t as easy as not pulling the trigger. His beliefs are tested at their core by seemingly impossible situations setup by a group of individuals led by the evil Knives. Trigun is not just another spaghetti western. The seamless combination of profound themes with innocent fun makes for a great anime.